KOZHIKODE: Districts in Malabar region report a high number of paedophile cases, with Malappuram recording 94 such cases till June this year.
Kozhikode city recorded 24 cases of child sexual abuse, Kannur 33 and Kasargod 13 cases during the same period. Kozhikode rural police refuses to divulge the number of child abuses this year.
“In Malappuram most cases get reported as Childline and Child Welfare Committee are active. Malappuram and Kozhikode report more sodomy cases. Most abusers do not consider it a crime. Shockingly most of the child abusers are either family members or persons known to the victim’s family,” Mr Anwar Karakkadan, the Childline district coordinator told Deccan Chronicle.
Even as cases hit a new high in Malappuram, few preventive programmes are organized by the Social Justice Department.
“Childline can only be an intervention agency when cases are reported. We do not have funds or staff to carry out preventive programmes. Social Justice Department should be undertaking such programmes but unfortunately such activities are absent,” Mr Karakkadan added.
Parents’ attitude towards child sexual abuse has not changed much in Malabar. When a case is reported, parents try to settle it without proper legal follow-ups. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, however, does not support suppression of offences and has provisions to penalize those who suppress information.
Teachers and school managements also try to hush up abuse cases. “There have been several cases where abusers walked free after committing the crime. Police is helpless as parents do not want to press the charges,” a senior police official attached to Kannur police told DC
